The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions derived from ginseng and methods of treatment for a variety of brain conditions or illnesses, as well as use for depression or general cognitive improvement.
Brain conditions such as senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, attention deficit disorder (ADD), mental retardation, stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases and conditions are widely recognized as problems of increasing proportions in North America, as well as around the world. Brain conditions such as these are associated with progressive physical and mental impairment to the point where the patient requires total care, and becomes a tremendous social and economic burden. Pathological studies of certain diseases, for example Alzheimer's disease, indicate that brains of certain patients have lost several neurotransmitter systems related to different functions. However, the system which is implicated the most is the cholinergic system. Studies show that several important cholinergic tracts innervating the cortical and hippocampal regions degenerate. Although this particular degeneration may not account for all symptoms of these several brain conditions, it may account for the cognitive and memory deficits.
The pharmacological approaches for the management of brain diseases affecting the cholinergic system may be classified in two ways. The first is drugs which improve the function of existing neurons, especially to increase cholinergic nerve function. The second is drugs which decrease degeneration and/or increase regeneration of nerves. It is generally believed that compounds which will increase the availability of the existing endogenous neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) are desirable. In addition, compounds which prevent the age related increase in intracellular calcium would be expected to decrease neuronal degeneration. Furthermore, compounds which promote neuronal growth would be expected to ameliorate the cognitive deficits associated with age related neuronal degeneration.
Ginseng is the name given to the dried roots of the ginseng plants (genus Panax) and, more particularly, to extracts of those roots. The roots and their extracts contain a variety of substances including saponins and sapogenins.
Ginseng has been extensively used, mostly in Asia, as a tonic to promote health and well being, and as a medicine in the treatment of various disease conditions. The beneficial attributes of ginseng are attributed to its saponin content, a mixture of dammarane triterpene glucosides referred to collectively as ginsenosides. Some ginsenosides have been isolated, and their structure determined. Such ginsenosides include Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf and Rg (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,894 to Bombardelli).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,878 to Pang et al contains a discussion of prior art extracts. The complete disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,878 is hereby incorporated by reference in this application. U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,878 discloses that ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 enhance the availability of ACh in the cortical and hippocampal regions of the brain and alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer-type senile dementia. The patent also discloses a process for isolating ginsenoside Rb1.